Remember Me After Goodbye
by StarGlider
Summary: What's going on in Saria's mind when she learns that Link is leaving? Dialogue has been altered a little from the game to make it more fic friendly. Read and Review, please!


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Remember Me After Goodbye  
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By StarGlider  
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It was a beautiful morning in Hyrule. The sun's rays pierced through the leaves of the trees in the Kokiri Forest and the creatures of the day began to stir. Slowly the darkness of the nighttime vanished as the sun warded off the last signs of night. The forest was coming to life.  
  
From a wooden hut in the forest clearing, a green-haired Kokiri girl emerged, sliding through the door way into the brilliant morning rays. She lifted her hand for a moment to shield her eyes from the light, and took in a breath of fresh air that blew by in a soft, wispy breeze.  
  
The young girl skipped along down the path, seeing her young friends and neighbors outside of their houses in the sunlight. She waved to them as she walked on her way to the tree house that was right next door to her hut.  
  
She knew the treehouse well, since she walked there every morning to visit her best friend, Link. For some reason, she had been attached to him ever since she had met him. He was different then the others, and they didn't always treat him like one of them. But she didn't mind that much. He had always been her friend and that wasn't going to change.  
  
The short path sloped down into the front walk of the tree house. The girl could see that there was someone climbing down the ladder. Yes, it was her blond-haired friend, wearing his normal green tunic, matching hat swaying as he quickly descended from his hut.  
  
Excitement overcame her suddenly, and she ran down the path waving her hand.  
  
"Link! Hi Link!" She stopped a few yards from the hut, waiting for her friend to meet her.  
  
Link hopped down from the ladder, skipping the last three or so steps,, and he turned, walking over to her.  
  
"Hi Saria!" he said, walking toward her.  
  
Saria put a wisp of green hair behind her ear. Link...there was something different about him. She could feel it. And, well, something looked different, too. Saria looked closer. Maybe it wasn't totally him that was different...  
  
Something bright and sparkling caught her eye. Saria looked up at the bright thing. She gasped, putting her hand to her mouth. She couldn't believe what she saw.  
  
"Link! Oh...my...is that a _fairy_?!"  
  
The blond Kokiri boy nodded. "Her name is Navi. She's my fairy companion now! Cool, huh?" He looked up at Navi, and she hid under his hat, trailing fairy dust in the air. Link laughed.  
  
"Link, that's just so wonderful! At last, you have a fairy of your own! I'm so glad." She smiled at him. "But...why now? Why do you suddenly have a fairy? It's kind of strange..."  
  
"Well, actually, Navi came here with a message for me, from the Great Deku Tree. She said that I've been summoned! Um, I'm on my way to see him right now!" He looked a little proud as he spoke.  
  
Saria was amazed. "Oh, wow! It must be very, _very_ important for the Deku Tree to actually call you!" She put her hand on his shoulder. "Good for you. Oh...I guess I shouldn't keep you, you should get going!"  
  
"Yeah," he said, "I guess I should hurry." He looked down for a moment, acting just a little nervous even through his pride.   
  
"Well, good luck, Link...I think something very important could happen, since the Deku Tree has summoned you! He's never summoned me before. Hm, well, I'll stay here for a while, until you come back."  
  
"Ok, Saria. I'll be back, probably in not too long."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Link waved goodbye, and began to walk down the path in the direction of the Deku Tree's meadow.  
  
Saria stood there, watching him walk away. She could scarcely believe what had just taken place, and for that matter, why. So why had Link been summoned? Suddenly, he had gotten a fairy, too...what was going on?  
  
Somehow, ever since she had met Link, Saria knew that _something_ would happen to him...something special. She wasn't sure why exactly, but his presence just told her. Not only that, but he just wasn't the same as the other Kokiri, obviously. Not different in a bad way, though, because Saria had always liked him no matter what.  
  
Saria waited. And waited. And waited some more. She grew more and more worried, and as her thoughts began to linger, she feared for her friend...no, more for herself. What if...what if she lost him? She had a feeling, somehow she realized she had always known...maybe Link was leaving.  
  
The more she thought about it, the clearer it seemed. Ever since Link had appeared in the forest--that seemed so long ago--it was only obvious that something about him was different. Saria knew he was special. Saria felt that the Deku Tree had been watching over Link, making plans for him. She should have expected that Link would be summoned one day...and maybe even leave the Kokiri, as impossible as that seemed.  
  
The thought of losing Link caused tears to rim Saria's eyes. What if he just left the forest, and she went forgotten after that? She liked him so much, and she knew he was her best friend. She couldn't just let him go like that!  
  
She wanted him to remember her somehow, no matter what happened next.  
  
Saria didn't want to be forgotten.   
  
A few tears escaped her eyes, but she wiped them off, walking away from Link's house. Maybe he was already gone. This thought pushed more tears out from her eyes, and they spilled over uncontrollably, sliding down her cheeks. If there was any chance that Link was still here, Saria would take it. She walked down the path towards the big log entrance/exit to the forest.  
  
Kokiri watched her, confused, as Saria walked by them in a crying state. She didn't look up at them, nor did she care what they thought of her display. She broke into a run, leaving them and their awkward staring in a blur behind her.  
  
At the entrance, a Kokiri stopped Saria.   
  
"You know you can't go beyond here...the field is just beyond the bridge and you'll die if--"  
  
"I won't go far," Saria cut him off. She had no intention of actually leaving the forest, just to wait on the bridge where she could be alone with her thoughts.   
  
Saria pushed past the Kokiri in a manor unlike her usual disposition. She had to go there before it was too late.   
  
She entered the peaceful bridge, the Kokiri village just an echo behind her. Birds chirped in the forest that surrounded her. The only home she had ever known...she loved it here. But it wouldn't be the same if Link left it.   
  
Saria leaned against the rope on the side of the bridge. She was sure that Link had left already. The feeling had been so strong...she knew he wouldn't stay in the forest anymore. Saria wiped away the last of her tears away.  
  
With every noise she heard, she jumped up in excitement. She would get to say goodbye after all! But no, it was just some creature in the forest around her. Her heart would sink, and she would continue to wait.  
  
Finally, Saria heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming from the Kokiri forest, thumping on the hollow wood entrance. Out of the log, Saria saw the face of a blond Kokiri she knew well. He ran to the bridge, almost leaving Saria behind.  
  
"I had a feeling you would leave someday," Saria spoke, softly but clearly.   
  
Link turned to face her.  
  
"Saria! I couldn't find you!" Link told his friend, amazed to see her here.  
  
"I was afraid that you'd forget me, but...we're best friends, right?" She looked down. "Now you're leaving."  
  
Link nodded. "Yes. I have to. It's my destiny to leave the forest...the Deku Tree told me."  
  
Saria sighed. "I always knew something would happen to you, because you weren't quite like me, or the other Kokiri. But I guess I expected it...something like this." She looked up and straight into his face.  
  
"I have something for you." She held out her hand to him. Opening it, Link saw an ocarina.  
  
"It's a fairy ocarina. I hope you play it and...remember me."  
  
Link slowly took the flute-like instrument, holding it up tp examine it. "I will." Saria could tell, though he tried to hide it, that it was hard for him to say goodbye.  
  
  
Link seemed scared now, reality probably sinking in, as he looked at Saria. "Goodbye," he managed to say.  
  
"Goodbye, Link..."  
  
He suddenly backed away, afraid that his emotions would show, or maybe just scared of what leaving the forest would mean. He must want to get it over with. He ran off into the light beyond the forest, where no Kokiri can go.   
  
"I'll miss you. . ."  
  
Saria knew that she would see Link again someday. But things would never be the same. Surely she would never leave the forest. But she hoped Link would at least come back. So many dangers lurked out there in Hyrule; Saria couldn't comprehend them all.  
  
Saria hoped with all of her heart that he would be safe. She would never want anything bad to happen to him, no matter what he faced up ahead.  
  
Saria fell to her knees in uncomforted sobs, thinking of a friend that, in a way, was gone forever.  
  
She just hoped that he would never forget her.  
  
"Remember me...Link. Please remember. . ."  
  
Saria's sobs drowned her soft pleas. Her cries echoed and faded, unheard, into the lonely forest.  
  
  
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End file.
